Residents fear tight security may dampen Muharram activities

HYDERABAD: Important religious gatherings (majlises) will get affected ahead of the final Muharram event on Sunday if the police continue to shut down shops early in the evening in the Old City to thwart security threats even when there is peace, residents of the area said on Monday.

In view of regular clashes between the police and locals over the alleged expansion of the Bhagyalakshmi temple at the charminar, police have beefed up security, have shut down shops and imposed curfew-like rules over the past few weeks, angering most residents, who say all is well in the city now.

Residents of Darul Shifa, one of the centres of Muharram activity, said shops in and around the area were forced to shut down at 8.30 pm on Monday, which they claimed not only affected business, but also made a lot of people stay away from the majlises fearing possible trouble.

"It is important that commercial activity during Muharram goes on and strict enforcing rules will not help us," Syed Hamed Hussain Jaffari, President of the Andhra Pradesh Shia Youth Conference said. Majlises in remembrance of Hazrat Imam Ali started in around 75 ashoorkhanas in the south zone of the city and would continue till the 10th of Muharram, which falls on Sunday (November 25) of the Gregorian calendar.

The denizens of the Old City said they do not want to see any sort of communal tension during Muharram. Even as mourners gather in large number turning areas such as Noor Khan Bazar, Miralam Mandi and Darul Shifa into a sea of black. They wish to observe the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain in peace and without the fear of wailing police sirens or instances of stone-pelting, many locals said. Many residents of areas in which Shiites are a majority have expressed concern that strict policing could dampen their mourning activities which have gained momentum on Monday.

"There are at least 30 important gatherings along the Darul Shifa-Miralam Mandi stretch. Less security personnel at these places means that the situation is peaceful and will remain so till the month ends," said Abbas Moosvi, Mutawalli of the Badeshahi Ashoorkhana.

While the State Wakf Board (SWB) was sanctioned around Rs 7 lakh for making Muharram arrangements in city, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was sanctioned Rs 80 lakh for infrastructure development for Muharram activities. "Around Rs 6 lakh for electrification of Aza Khana Zehra have been sanctioned on our representation. Cash grants of Rs 20,000 have been given to various ashoorkhanas and Rs 2 lakh has been earmarked for sabeel (free stalls to distribute water)," SWB member and MLC Syed Altaf Hyder Razvi said.

South Zone police maintained that a 9 pm deadline was being implemented in the interest of public security. "The deadline is being imposed without any favour or relaxation across the South Zone. We cannot have a different yardstick for different places in the Old City," Akun Sabharwal, DCP (South) said.

Residents plan to meet senior police officers on this issue and if required they would go to the police chief.

Meanwhile, the environment and forests department issued a missive on November 16 allowing the elephant 'Rajani' to be used for carrying the alam (standard) free of charge. She was made to walk the procession routes from Bibi Ka Alawa to Masjid-e-Ilahi in Chaderghat on Monday.